For at least the last year, an illegal group of debt collectors have been terrorizing consumers, their family, friends, and employees threatening to arrest the individual of an unpaid loan or other debt (their generally don't even owe). Be aware debt is a civil matter, not a criminal matter, and you can't be arrested. They threaten a warrant if the victim does not pay a sum of money by the credit card over the phone.

Some of the people they are calling do not owe a debt.  Others they are calling have already settled their debt with the organization who owns the accounts. Even if you do owe a debt, do not be deceived by the actions of this group.  Many of the accounts they are attempting to collect they do not own.  In other words, if you pay these people, that is not going to clear your debt with its rightful owner.  

Although when pressed the callers give the victim an address in Columbia South Carolina (usually a vacant lot) or Atlanta GA (often a parking lot near the bus station or a Peachtree Road Address). They are actually out of the Charlotte North Carolina area. The scammers are using the following business names (and there are many others, and they seem to create new ones daily).  They will normally answer the call back number as ?Investigations?

Reynolds, Hill, and Associates
Berkley and Associates
Kaufmann and Associates
Sanderson Blaine & Associates
Blaine and Associates
McKenzie Reid Associates
Kennedy, Kline, & Associates
Nationwide Asset and Recovery
Piedmont Investigations and Procurement
Raffino, Garrison, & McCoy
Greenman, Schwartz & Associates
McCoy Law Group
Salem Associates
Reynolds and Associates
Ryan, Carter and Fields
Berman, Maxwell and associates
DOF Investigations
Vaughn & Associates


Here is a set of links to a variety of threads on this forum that document this group and its behavior. They include the experiences of victims as well as a former employee or two that quit within a week of finding out exactly what was going on. They also include responses from consumer advocates and people who are really criminal justice professionals advising victims of what to do

http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-748-8367
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-719-1725
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-676-3492
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-805-5549
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-751-1084
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-803-2349
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-775-2417
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-775-2418
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-755-3417
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-746-3946
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-676-3485
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-966-3768
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-699-9749/2
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-966-6246
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-678-5437
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-967-0061
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-746-3948
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-791-2353
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-699-6246
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-735-8624
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-751-1083
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-736-3678/2
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-966-8529
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-967-2633
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-460-1576
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-609-3074
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-576-6210
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-601-5849
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-230-1283
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-658-0438
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-510-9327
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-509-0338
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-803-0755
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-511-0627
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-509-3033
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-509-0339
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-511-0631
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-883-2350/2
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-244-3381
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-512-0269
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-295-9550
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-966-6277
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-511-4248
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-725-5312
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-756-9997
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-512-1278
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-512-0531
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-512-0273
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-719-5041
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-791-9102
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-512-400-2637
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-585-730-6153
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-512-1712
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-657-1430
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-643-7815
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-860-3119
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-860-2973

Caller called asking if we did not pay or make arrangement that my checks would be garnish and that we would go to court and we would be responsible for all court cost.

i got this call from mass recovery and there also known as mckenney reid assicoties  as well wanting credit card info for a payday loan in2011 and claiming to file agaist me

It's a scam.  They called me from a blocked number and told me they had legal paperwork for me and I needed to call this number back or I would get a fta. When I did I was told I had an outstanding payday loan and needed to transfer money to a bank account or avoid prosecution.  When I started asking too many questions I was hung up on

I received the same message.  I'm still trying to find out if it's legit but I think its some BS debt collector

I received a call from Star Negotiations. they stated that my sister will receive a failure to appear on a sc100 in my county. I looked up the number they called from but didnt get any info but the number they told my sister call back to this came up. I looked up the sc100 and it states its a small claims suit against  my sister and the plaintiff has 15 days to notify to receive suit claim. she has yet to receive such claim im guesssing that this is a scare tactic to get the debtor to pay. i know i used to work as a collector and we used the tactic of we were lawyers sending them to court if they didnt pay.

http://800notes.com/arts/Jb8EW-eDhQA/harassin ... ou-need-to-know
See Residents post here also:
http://800notes.com/forum/ta-34af6a034ba34b6/unending-collection-calls
Templates of Letters:
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-319-242-7350

http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpajump.shtm
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/search ...
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-0096-fair-credit-reporting-act.pdf
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0149-debt-collection

And see:

http://800notes.com/forum/ta-944ec1426a8bcbb/ ... service-attacks
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http://www.clarkhoward.com/news/clark-howard/ ... r-phones/ndF4c/
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http://www.net-security.org/article.php?id=1828
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http://800notes.com/forum/ta-86217073a9c8dad/ ... 077595690349410
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http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors
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http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm
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http://www.fdcpa.me/fake-process-server-injunction/
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http://800notes.com/forum/ta-9413b3202bc8b6c/ ... net%27s-tactics
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To file complaints on Extortion Scam Operations, File reports with the FBI, your state attorney general and Department Of Justice,CFB,FTC & FCC..

http://www.nw3c.org/
http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
http://www.fbi.gov/
http://www.stopfraud.gov/report.html
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#&panel1-1
https://esupport.fcc.gov/ccmsforms/form1088.action
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

To File complaints FDCPA/TCPA violations:
Your State Attorney General
Their State Attorney general
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#&panel1-1
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

Relatives received call from this number stating they were Mass Recovery group. They stated they were calling regarding a "failure to appear" from the county I live in but no other information was given except the telephone number. Does anyone know anything about these people. I've never recevied any calls, notices or any other information & I checked my state database for any "failure to appear" notices and there was nothing. My thoughts are a bill collector using scare tactics.